Geno's Balancing Act; More Revealed

Don't Look Up!

"Auriemma’s always happy when he can get bench players in early, especially this year when he has so few, but he’s also unsure of how to deal with them at times.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit trying to figure out where to go with that,” he said. “We’re kind of in a little bit of a conundrum, so to speak. We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out.

“Obviously if we have too many of those guys on the court at the same time it’s not going to look very good so we have to space it out, and the bottom line is right now it’s going to be our five starters and then kind of mix and match off the bench one or two guys. Hopefully we get some crucial minutes from them. ... If we can get more of that on a regular basis I think that would help us. I don’t know that they’re ever going to score a lot of points, but we really don’t need them to score a lot of points. We need them to do some other things, and it doesn’t matter if they don’t help our team when they come in the game. We just need to get them to the point where they understand you can’t hurt us, and that’s the focus a little bit at a time. And I thought we were better in the second half in the first half.”

Cronus

Those quotes should be tacked to the top of the board to help remind everyone about the bench this season, how Geno feels about the players, and what he plans to do going forward. The AAC is the perfect conference to do exactly what he says he wants to do.

"Auriemma’s always happy when he can get bench players in early, especially this year when he has so few, but he’s also unsure of how to deal with them at times.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit trying to figure out where to go with that,” he said. “We’re kind of in a little bit of a conundrum, so to speak. We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out.

“Obviously if we have too many of those guys on the court at the same time it’s not going to look very good so we have to space it out, and the bottom line is right now it’s going to be our five starters and then kind of mix and match off the bench one or two guys. Hopefully we get some crucial minutes from them. ... If we can get more of that on a regular basis I think that would help us. I don’t know that they’re ever going to score a lot of points, but we really don’t need them to score a lot of points. We need them to do some other things, and it doesn’t matter if they don’t help our team when they come in the game. We just need to get them to the point where they understand you can’t hurt us, and that’s the focus a little bit at a time..

glad to see that Geno realizes he needs to play them at specific times whether he thinks they're really ready or not........those few minutes of rest for the starters are truly important in close games and who knows, ONO, Coombs etc may surprise him by the end of the season..

"Auriemma’s always happy when he can get bench players in early, especially this year when he has so few, but he’s also unsure of how to deal with them at times.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit trying to figure out where to go with that,” he said. “We’re kind of in a little bit of a conundrum, so to speak. We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out.

“Obviously if we have too many of those guys on the court at the same time it’s not going to look very good so we have to space it out, and the bottom line is right now it’s going to be our five starters and then kind of mix and match off the bench one or two guys. Hopefully we get some crucial minutes from them. ... If we can get more of that on a regular basis I think that would help us. I don’t know that they’re ever going to score a lot of points, but we really don’t need them to score a lot of points. We need them to do some other things, and it doesn’t matter if they don’t help our team when they come in the game. We just need to get them to the point where they understand you can’t hurt us, and that’s the focus a little bit at a time. And I thought we were better in the second half in the first half.”

I
I heard this in his Cinci Presser and a bit post game interview.
The fine line could be broadened; he speaks that if he leaves them in they will think they are doing well. Of course that is true. BUT; Most teachers, teaching physical activities, will stop the student who is performing incorrectly; (think tap dancing) explain what they are doing wrong and put them back to the activity. Repeat and repeat. Basketball is not the ONLY activity where students learn by doing, it has been well documented. Even special Ed instruction follows some of that teaching. In the very dark days of old it was called teaching by rote, doing over and over until it is done correctly. If the students in those classes could not get what was necessary, after one year, they were normally relegated to a course that required less of that activity.

Voice of Reason

"Auriemma’s always happy when he can get bench players in early, especially this year when he has so few, but he’s also unsure of how to deal with them at times.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit trying to figure out where to go with that,” he said. “We’re kind of in a little bit of a conundrum, so to speak. We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out.

“Obviously if we have too many of those guys on the court at the same time it’s not going to look very good so we have to space it out, and the bottom line is right now it’s going to be our five starters and then kind of mix and match off the bench one or two guys. Hopefully we get some crucial minutes from them. ... If we can get more of that on a regular basis I think that would help us. I don’t know that they’re ever going to score a lot of points, but we really don’t need them to score a lot of points. We need them to do some other things, and it doesn’t matter if they don’t help our team when they come in the game. We just need to get them to the point where they understand you can’t hurt us, and that’s the focus a little bit at a time. And I thought we were better in the second half in the first half.”

Geno is not setting the bar particularly high, but he's being realistic. I like that he plays only 1-2 bench players at a time early in the game and then plays 2 starters with the bench players late in the game.

In addition, he said that Lou is basically the backup PG and she has more tolerance for bench players' errors than Crystal does.

"Auriemma’s always happy when he can get bench players in early, especially this year when he has so few, but he’s also unsure of how to deal with them at times.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit trying to figure out where to go with that,” he said. “We’re kind of in a little bit of a conundrum, so to speak. We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out.

“Obviously if we have too many of those guys on the court at the same time it’s not going to look very good so we have to space it out, and the bottom line is right now it’s going to be our five starters and then kind of mix and match off the bench one or two guys. Hopefully we get some crucial minutes from them. ... If we can get more of that on a regular basis I think that would help us. I don’t know that they’re ever going to score a lot of points, but we really don’t need them to score a lot of points. We need them to do some other things, and it doesn’t matter if they don’t help our team when they come in the game. We just need to get them to the point where they understand you can’t hurt us, and that’s the focus a little bit at a time. And I thought we were better in the second half in the first half.”

I would not have an issue with this if most of the bench were Freshman.

Irwin- Experienced Junior that knows the system in and out
Bent- Experienced Junior that knows the system in and out, probably smartest person in the building.
Camara- A Junior as well that should know the system. Yes i know she's always injured and has not had the consistent rep's needed to contribute?? Im being generous here.
ONO- Freshman

AEH Transfer would have been a sophomore, would Butler still be here or is she graduated?

I would imagine that if our bench players have not lived up to Geno's expectations then thats on Geno for recruiting kids that are not good enough to contribute! Im sure the girls are working hard and giving it 150%. Geno only has to look in the mirror... This will become very clear next year to everyone watching..

"We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out. "

Don't Look Up!

"We have guys that need to play, and I know that. And when they play, they don’t play the way I expect them to play. And then if I keep playing them they think that playing like that is OK. And then if I don’t play them then I’m not giving them an opportunity to get better. It’s a fine line I’m trying to figure out. "

Administrator

I would not have an issue with this if most of the bench were Freshman.

Irwin- Experienced Junior that knows the system in and out
Bent- Experienced Junior that knows the system in and out, probably smartest person in the building.
Camara- A Junior as well that should know the system. Yes i know she's always injured and has not had the consistent rep's needed to contribute?? Im being generous here.
ONO- Freshman

AEH Transfer would have been a sophomore, would Butler still be here or is she graduated?

I would imagine that if our bench players have not lived up to Geno's expectations then thats on Geno for recruiting kids that are not good enough to contribute! Im sure the girls are working hard and giving it 150%. Geno only has to look in the mirror... This will become very clear next year to everyone watching..

The all knowing Mick

Irwin- Experienced Junior that knows the system in and out
Bent- Experienced Junior that knows the system in and out, probably smartest person in the building.
Camara- A Junior as well that should know the system. Yes i know she's always injured and has not had the consistent rep's needed to contribute?? Im being generous here.
ONO- Freshman.